This invention generally relates to network management systems, and more particularly to a network management system having more than one network management work station with at least one of which being used as a backup management work station.
In selecting a specific type of computer system for a network management system, reliability is a key concern.
Usually, a smaller computer system, such as SUN Sparc work station, HP 3000 work station or AT&T GIS 3350 work station, is less reliable than a larger computer system, such as HP 9000 computer or IBM 3090 computer, because a smaller computer system may lack built-in redundancy features. To enhance the reliability when small computer systems are used, network management systems store data in Redundant Array Inexpensive Disks (RAID), where several inexpensive disks contain the same data and operate in parallel fashion. In operation, even if one or more inexpensive disks fail, the network management systems can still properly function.
To further enhance the reliability, more than one network management station can be connected to the RAID.
FIG. 1 depicts a network management system including two work stations 102 and 104, RAID 118, and front-end processor 122. Work stations 102 and 104 are connected to RAID 118 and front-end processor 112. Terminals 1-n are connected to network 126 and able to send data packets to stations 102 or 104 via front-end Processor 122. Work station 102 or 104 can receive and store incoming data packets into RAID 118.
In operation, work station 102 can be chosen to serve as a main network management station, and work station 105 as a backup network management work station. When work station 102 is in proper operational condition to receive the incoming data packets containing network management information, it is not desirable for station 104 to receive the same incoming data packets, since the network management system requires only a single control station to collect and store the necessary network management information. Thus, front-end processor 122 is used to direct incoming data packets containing network management information from network 126 to work station 102 when the station is in proper operational condition. Front-end processor 122 switches the incoming data packets containing network management information to work station 104 only when work station 102 fails.
One disadvantage of the scheme shown in FIG. 1 is that a front-end processor is needed, which can be relatively expensive. For example, the current price of a typical front-end processor IBM 3780 is around 100 thousand U.S. dollars.
Another disadvantage of the scheme shown in FIG. 1 is that each of the incoming data packets containing network management information has to be switched by the front-end processor, thus slowing data transmission speed.
Therefore, there has been a need to provide a reliable network management system with reduced cost and improved speed.